the fieldwork project

The Fieldwork Project is a Community Interest Company combining research, evaluation, and learning with hands-on, community-based practice. Through creative, land-based, and participatory work, we create spaces where new ways of organising, relating, and supporting each other can take root—especially in contexts marked by exclusion, displacement, and structural inequality. Though still young as an organisation, we bring deep, international experience in research, evaluation, and facilitation across health, migration, social care, and community development. We are guided by a belief that meaningful change comes from working “with—not for—“ communities, and that creativity, land practices, and collective reflection are powerful tools for shifting systems and building more equitable futures.

Our work is structured around two distinct but deeply interconnected strands:

place-based practice

We run hands-on, community-led programmes rooted in the neighbourhoods around Crystal Palace. Our flagship initiative, Farm Club, offers a regular, welcoming outdoor space for asylum seekers and refugees to grow food, explore natural craft, relax in nature, and build community. No cost or prior experience is required—just curiosity and the desire to connect. Alongside Farm Club, we host public events, creative workshops, and seasonal celebrations at the Phoenix Centre and other local venues—moments that prioritise participation, collective care, and belonging. These projects are intentionally slow-paced and relationship-led, grounded in the ambition to nurture long-term, trust-based connections with our local communities.

research-led practice

Alongside our hands-on programmes, we conduct research in Crystal Palace to explore how creative and land-based practices—such as gardening, craft, design, and the arts—can become tools for shifting relational dynamics and challenging discriminatory systems. Drawing on our background in participatory design, evaluation, and community research, we co-create ethical, rigorous processes that support reflection, accountability, and learning. This allows us to develop insights that are both academically informed and grounded in the realities of our everyday work with the community. Practice and research continually inform one another—encouraging critical thinking within our community-based work.

You can follow the project on instagram at #thefieldworkprojectcic